| Enduro 6 |
Mountain biking six hour endurance race - 4th May '03
Six hour endurance race - ouch! This was based at Trentham Gardens, Stoke, the venue of many national series races. The course was a bit longer with some good new tracks. The only problem was the weather. It was quite wet the days running up to the event. The actual day the weather was quite good but the ground was still very slippery.
This event starts with a Le Mann style start, but it was more like a full cross-country run than a short jog - it was miles. There is nothing as funny as watching cyclist run, especially with stiff cycling shoes on!
The six hours can be ridden as pair or individually. It was my turn this year to do the individual event. With the two races run simultaneously it produces two speed racing. We set off at a good speed but not too fast.
Paul Oldham, Ian Wilkinson and I formed a group that was set for the six hours. Unfortunately for me I slipped off near the end of the first lap and dislocated my little finger - it was pointing 45 degrees the wrong way! I grabbed it with my other hand and luckily it popped back in. I continued but then I lost the air from my forks, so I went into the pit area to try and fix them (my finger and forks). The race doctor had a look at my finger and said that the insulation tape I had put on was doing a good job.
I had set my mind on a "big day out" so I waited for Paul Oldham to come around again and set off. I paced him for 4 laps before stopping. I had only intended to do 2 laps more but started to enjoy it!
I stopped with about one hour remaining of the six - I still finished 11th overall in the results. Paul won so that was good for the team.
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(written 07/05/03)